Power drive mechanism for slicing machines



fiepi. 29, m1, J. mm zg zwm POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SLICING' MACHINES Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Sheeas She-f 1 J. FOLK Sept. 29, 1931.

POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SLICiNG MAbHINES Filed Jan. 29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JQFOLK POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Sept 29 1931.,

Filed Jan. 29, 1926 Swat 2%, 1931. J. FOLK POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed Jan. 29, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 entree STATES anauri oF-Flca JUSEPH FOLK, OF LA FORTE/INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. SLICING' MACHINE COM- PANY, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION" OF INDIANA POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Application filed January 29, 1926. Serial No. 8 4,590.

This invention relates to slicing machines of thetype having reciprocating feed tables and rotary slicing knives, and has for vits'objectthe provision of a motor drive for such machines which shall be of improved-construe tion and operation.

The invention is exemplified in' the coinbination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, '1 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the knife spindle of a slicing machine showing one embodiment of the present invention; y

" Fig. 2 is a section substantiallyfon line 22 of Fig. 1; j i

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 -3 of Fig. 1 and Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 1

and 2 showing a modification of the invention.

The numeral 10 in the drawings designates the frame of a slicing machine having a re- 25 ciprocating feed table 11 and a rotary disc knife 12. The'knife 12 is supported on'the 18. The knife spindle is journaledin bear-j ings 21 and 22 in the neck 16 and cover plate 19, respectively. The shaft 20 projects from the neck 16 at the side adjacent the reciprocat- 40 ing table 11 and carries asprocket wheel 23 and the disc knife 12. A worm wheel 24 is loose on the shaft'20 within the housing 15 and is provided with a clutch face 25 whichcooperates with a clutch 26 slidablymounted on 45 the shaft 20 but held from rotation thereon by a pin 27. A spring 28 normally urges the clutch 26 into engagement with the clutch face 25. plunger 29fextends through a central openingin the shaft 20 and bears against 50 the pin 27. The outer end of the plunger engages an adjustable set screw 30 having a lock nut 31 for holding it in place in a cap 32 rotatably mounted on a projecting stud 33 which is secured to the cover plate 19. The cap 32 is provided with inwardly projecting pins 34 which engage a cam groove 35 in the stud 33. A handle 36 is secured to the cap 32 for rotating the cap about the stud 33. Rotation of the ,cap moves the pins 34 in the cam groove 35 and thus forces the cap inwardly together with the. plunger 29. This action will press. the clutch member 26 to the right against the tension of the spring 28, as viewed in Fig. 1,

and release the clutch 26. Opposite rotation of the handle will permit the spring to reengage the clutch'members. An index 37 may be provided for indicating thecondition of the clutch for the various positions of the handle. The worm 'wheel24 meshes with a worm 38 which is j ournaled in bearings 39 and 40 in the housing 15.

The housing 15 is provided with a downwardly extending flange 41 which supports a bracket 42 adjustably moun ted thereon by cap screws 43. A motor 44 is carried by the bracket 42 and the shaft 45of the motor is connected to the worm 38 by'a suitable coupling 46. A switch 47 maybe mounted on the housing 15 to control the motor 44. An. opening 48 in the housing 15 is provided for inserting lubricating material into the housing. A suitable plug 49 is provided for closing the opening. The housing 15 is preferably made sufiiciently tight so that it may; be partially filled with lubricating material and a stop 50 is carried on the neck 16 andengages .a pin 51 to hold the housing 15 at an angle so that the worm38 -is, inclined to the leased. This arrangement makes it unnecessary to provide additional supporting brackets for the motor housing and makes it possible to replace the motor housing with the usual form of bearing bushing heretofore employed in hand operated machines. It will be seen that the sprocket wheel 23 corresponds to the usual knife spindle sprocket wheel of hand operated slicing machines as shaft 54 to the main bevel gear 55 within the base in the usual manner. The direction of drive is reversed, however, from. that which is employed in a hand driven machine. Heretofore the drive shaft has operated from the bevel gearthrough the sprocket wheel.

53 and. chain 52 to drive the knife spindle. By connectingthe motordirectlyto the knife spindle the direction of the drive is reversed and advantage is taken of the speed'reduc tion betweenthe spindle and the operating mechanism for the reciprocating table-by connecting the-.motor to the part having the highest speed of rotation. The table 11 is connected by a crank shaft 56 and a 'connecting rod 57"to the bevel gear 55 so that the motor drives the reciprocating table through the gear train described.

' The coupling46 is preferably in the formof a helical spring having one end secured to the worm shaft 38 and the other end secured to the motor shaft 45. This form of'coupling has been found to be ofgreat'advantage because of the tolerance it permits in the alignment of the motor shaft and worm shafts.

In the form of theinvention shown inFigs.

land 5, the motor is not 'supported in alignment with the wormv sha-ft but instead the worm 38 is provided with an extension 60 journalled in a sleeve 61 supported in the housing 15. "A motor hous1ng62 is suspended from the sleeve 61 and the motor 63 is mounted on the inner sidewall 64: of this housing. The worm shaft is driven from the motor shaft. by any suitable driving connection, such as a sprocket chain, belt, gearing or other drivingconnection. The arrangement brings the motor intocloser relation with the other parts than does that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and 3 .and permits the use of a motor housing that presents theappearance of a unitary part of the slicing machine. One great advantage of'this more compactarrangement is that the motor does not project rearwardly beyond the rear plane of the main portion of the slicing machine. This is of great advantage where the rear portion of the machine is arranged against a wall or against the glass front of a show case.

I claim V 1. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocating table and a rotary knife spindle, of driving-connection between said table and spindle, a bearing support, a

bearing for said spindle carried by said sup.-

port and angularly adjustable about the axis of said spindle, a gear housing carried by said bearing, a motor carried by said gear housing and adjustable therewith about the axis of said spindle, and-gearing in said gear housing for connectingsaid motor withsaid spindle.

2. The combination with a slicing machine having a bearingsupport and. a knife spindle, of a bearing removably mounted in said sup.- port and having said spindle journaled therein, a clutch mounted on said spindle, ahousingv forsaid clutchcarried by said bearing, gearing for driving one member of said clutch disposed in said housing, a motor for driving said gearing, and a support for said moto mounted on saidhousing.

3. The combination with a slicing machine having a reciprocatingtable, a rotary knife spindle, and driving. connection between said table and spindle, 'of-abearing support'connected with said slicing machine and having a cylindrical socket therein, a gear housingllaving bearings for said spindle and having a cylindrical projection surrounding said spindle and fitting said socket, said cylindrical projection being mounted .in-said socket so as to be rotatable or longitudinally movable therein and means forsecuringsaid proj ection in said socket.

4. In a. slicing, machine, a supporthaving, a spl1t:sleeve,'a housinghavmg a collar re transverselyto said spindle, a clutch for connecting, said worm'shaft with said spindle, a-

motor suspended from said housing beneath the same, and means fordriving said worm shaft from said motor.

. 5. A slicing machine comprising a knife.

spindle, a bearing support for said spindle,

and a motor support carried by said bearing support and adjustable with said bearing support about the axis of said bearing support.

6. Thecombination with a slicing machine having a rotary knife spindle, of a bearingv support,a bearing for said spindle carried by said support and angularly adjustable aboutthe aXis of said spindle, a gear housing carried by said bearing, and a motor support carried by said gear housingv and adjustable therewith about the axis of said spindle.

7. A slicing machine having a knife spindle, a support for said knifespindle, a motor support carried by said spindle support,

driving means connecting said motor and spindle, said motor support being adjustable about the axis of said spindle While said driving means connects said motor and spindle;

8. A slicing machine comprising in combination, a material suporting table, a dished rotary slicing knife positioned adjacent said table, a motor for rotating said knife, a support for said motor and knife, a member carrying said motor and knife rotatably mounted in said sup-port, said member being movable in the direction of the aXisof said knife to adjust said knife with respect to said table.

9. In a slicingmachine, the combination With a bearing member of a knife spindle journaled in said bearing member, a motor having a driving connection with said spindle and being offset relatively thereto, said motor being adapted to be moved to various angular positions about said spindle for the purpose described.

10. A slicing machine comprising a bear,- ing, a sleeve mounted for rotation in'said bearing, a motor supported by said sleeve, a spindle rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a knife secured to said spindle, driving connections between said motor and said spindle, an

abutment on said sleeve, a rigid abutment on' said bearing adapted to engage the abutment on said sleeve for limiting ,rotative movement of said sleeve in one direction, and releasable holding means for clamping said sleeve in any of its positions of adjustment.

11. Aslicing machine comprising abearing, a sleeve mounted for rotation in said "bearing, a motor supported by said sleeve, a spindle rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a knife secured to said spindle, driving connections between said motor and said spindle, an abutment on said sleeve, a rigid abutment on said bearing adapted to engage the abutmenton said sleeve for limiting rotative movement of said sleeve in one direction, and releasable holding means for clamping said sleeve in any of its positions of adjustment, said motor being offset to one side of said spindle so that the Weight thereof rotates said sleeve so that the abutment on said sleeve is carried into engagement with the rigid abutment when said 7 sleeve is permitted to rotate by releasing said releasable holding means. i

In testimony whereof I have signed name to this specification on this 26th day of January, A.- D. 1926.

JOSEPH FOLK. 

